Engaged to Her Ravensdale Enemy

That was scary.

Her anger was a barrier. A big, fat barricade around her heart because falling in love with Jake would be nothing less than an exercise in self-annihilation. She only fell in love with men she knew for certain would love her back. Her ex-fiancés were alike in that they had each been comfortable with commitment. They’d wanted the same things she wanted...or so they had said.

Jake glanced at his watch. ‘We’d better get a move on. I made an appointment with the jeweller for two-fifteen. Have you got an assistant to hold the fort for you till you get back?’

‘No, my last girl was rude to the clients,’ Jaz said. ‘I had to let her go. I haven’t got around to replacing her. I’ll just put a “back in ten minutes” sign on the door.’

He frowned. ‘You mean you run this show all by yourself?’

She picked up her purse and jacket from underneath the counter. ‘I outsource some of the cutting and sewing but I do most of everything else because that’s what my customers expect.’

‘But none of the top designers do all the hack work,’ Jake said as they walked out of the boutique into the chilly autumn air. ‘You’ll burn yourself out trying to do everything yourself.’

‘Yes, well, I’m not quite pulling in the same profit as some of those houses,’ Jaz said. ‘But watch this space. I have a career plan.’

‘What about a business plan? I could have a look at your company structure and—’

‘No thanks,’ Jaz said and closed and locked the boutique door.

‘If you’re worried about my fee, I could do mate’s rates.’

She gave him a sideways look. ‘I can afford you, Jake. I just choose not to use your...erm...services.’

He shrugged one of his broad shoulders. ‘Your loss.’

* * *

The jeweller was a private designer who had a studio above an interior design shop. Jaz was acutely conscious of Jake’s arm at her elbow as he led her into the viewing area. After brief introductions were made a variety of designs was brought forward for her to peruse. But there was one ring that was a stand out. It was a mosaic collection of diamonds in an art deco design that was both simple yet elegant. She slipped it on her finger and was pleased to find it was a perfect fit. ‘This one,’ she said, holding it up to see the way the light bounced off the diamonds.

‘Good choice,’ the designer said. ‘It suits your hand.’

Jaz didn’t see the price. It wasn’t the sort of jeweller where price tags were on show. But she didn’t care if it was expensive or not. Jake could afford it. She did wonder, however, if he would want her to give it back when their ‘engagement’ was over.

Jake took her hand as they left the studio. ‘Fancy a quick coffee?’

Jaz would have said no except she hadn’t had lunch and her stomach was gurgling like a drain. ‘Sure, why not?’

He took her to a café a couple of blocks from her boutique but they had barely sat down before someone from a neighbouring table took a photo of them with a camera phone. Then a murmur went around the café and other people started aiming their phones at them. Jaz tried to keep her smile natural but her jaw was aching from the effort. Jake seemed to take it all in his stride, however.

One customer came over with a napkin and a pen. ‘Can I have your autograph, Jake?’

Jake slashed his signature across the napkin and handed back the pen with an easy smile. ‘There you go.’

‘Is it true you and Miss Connolly are engaged?’ the customer asked.

Jaz held up her ring hand. ‘Yes. We just picked up the ring.’

More cameras went off and the Twitter whistle sounded so often it was as if a flock of small birds had been let loose in the café.

‘Nice work,’ Jake said when the fuss had finally died down a little.

‘You were the one who suggested a coffee,’ Jaz said, shooting him a look from beneath her lashes.

‘I heard your stomach rumbling at the jeweller’s.Don’t you make time for lunch?’

She stirred her latte with a teaspoon rather than lose herself in his sapphire-blue gaze. ‘I’ve got a lot on just now.’

He reached across the table and took her left hand in his, running his fingertip over the crest of the mosaic ring. ‘You can keep it after this is over.’

Jaz brought her gaze back to his. ‘You don’t want to recycle it for when you eventually settle down?’

He released her hand and sat back as he gave a light laugh. ‘Can you see me doing the school run?’

‘You don’t ever want kids?’

‘Nope,’ he said, reaching for the sugar and tipping two teaspoons in. ‘I don’t want the responsibility. If I’m going to screw anyone’s life up, it’ll be my own. That I can live with.’